


Making it up as I go along

by Fatale (femme)



Series: happy malec ficlets [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood Wears Makeup, M/M, i can't believe thats already a tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 09:53:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13478958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/femme/pseuds/Fatale
Summary: “Okay, look up,” Magnus instructs, grabbing plain black eyeliner. Alec’s a classic makeup guy, he can tell. If Alec were a mundane lady, he’d match his handbag to his pumps. And they would both be sensible taupe.





	Making it up as I go along

**Author's Note:**

> I spent a bit of time trying to figure out where Magnus puts on his makeup, scanning episodes to get a glimpse of his bedroom, then realized that I don’t care that much. This fic is just for funsies because I’ve been sick for like, 3 weeks and I think my brain is done done done with the world. I just wanted to write about Alec with makeup on, lbr.

 

 **“If a man cannot understand the beauty of life, it is probably because life never understood the beauty in him.”**  
**― Criss Jami**

 

Magnus surveys the clutter of jars, pots, pencils, and palettes scattered across the vanity.

He could technically apply makeup with magic, but he prefers to do it the old-fashioned way. He likes to see his eyeshadow, glitter, and eyeliner all lined up, grab a random color, and see where the mood takes him. From the bed, Alec watches him carefully.

Something about the fascinated way Alec tracks his movements makes Magnus turn to him and ask, “Have you ever put on makeup, Alexander?”

Alec blinks, says, “No?” like he can’t imagine why Magnus would think that he had. It’s not defensive or embarrassed, like Magnus half-expected, it’s genuine confusion.

“Would you like to?” Magnus asks curiously. He’s bought Alec a few articles of clothing, hung them quietly in the closet next to Alec’s sturdier fare, and let Alec make the decision if and when he wanted to wear them. The answer is: not often. But Magnus can live with that as long as it’s Alec’s choice and not lack of options.

They don’t have anywhere to be today. He waits patiently while Alec thinks and Magnus can almost see the exact moment Alec decides, _Why the hell not?_ Alec shrugs, slides out of bed and sits next to Magnus, turning his face towards him expectantly.

Magnus is weirdly excited, to be honest. It’s not that he doesn’t enjoy Alec in all of his austere Shadowhunter glory, it’s just nice to see Alec do something so incredibly impractical for once.

He’s not going to go for the full face today, maybe just a bit of eyeshadow, blush, and lip gloss, if he's feeling bold. He’ll leave the glitter for another far more inebriated day.

“Okay, look up,” Magnus instructs, grabbing plain black eyeliner. Alec’s a classic makeup guy, he can tell. If Alec were a mundane lady, he’d match his handbag to his pumps. And they would both be sensible taupe.

Magnus carefully outlines Alec’s eyes, smudges it a bit to soften the shape. As Magnus paws through his makeup, Alec’s gaze lands on an eyelash curler with undisguised horror. “What the hell’s that?”

“A bit more adventurous than we’re going for today,” Magnus reassures him. He pulls out an eyeshadow palette, finds a dark khaki green that’ll suit Alec’s eye color, pats some on with a neutral base. He puts a pop of darker green at the edges, brings it down beneath his eyes, which are only mildly watering. Frankly, Magnus is impressed.

He sweeps a very light dab of pink across his cheeks, just enough to give him a hint of color and goes for a lip balm instead of something highly glossy. Best not to give Alec a heart attack. He has plans for later today.

“Done,” Magnus says and Alec turns to look at himself in the mirror. Magnus kept the makeup subtle, just a hint of color around the eyes, a faint flush to the cheeks, like Alec’s been out in the cold. Magnus had thought maybe Alec would look silly, he was so used to Alec’s hypermasculinity, and in truth, it was part of Alec’s initial appeal for Magnus. But people aren’t born that way. Institution and belief are what defines masculinity and Magnus should know better than most not to fall into that trap. Seeing Alec calmly wearing Magnus’ makeup is…affecting.

Alec’s eyes, usually half skeptical, half tired-of-this-bullshit, look positively sinful.

After a long minute, Magnus asks, “What do you think?”

“Looks good,” Alec says, the side of his mouth tugged slightly upwards. It not a smile, but it’s pleased.

Alec stands. “Time for breakfast?”

“I could make something,” Magnus offers. He makes mean Belgian waffles.

“Thought we were going out?”

Magnus sighs. That had been the plan. He pulls out a drawer in his vanity, grabs a pack of makeup wipes and hands one to Alec, disappointed, but he can’t say why. He likes Alec in pretty much any form and variation, but there’s something about seeing Alec this way--soft, bedroom eyes, unguarded.

Alec looks confused, wipes his hands and tosses the towelette in the trash.

“That’s for makeup,” Magnus explains, exasperated. “Figured you’d want to take it off before we left.”

“Oh,” Alec says, embarrassed. “Uh, I can just--leave it, ok?”

Magnus holds very still for a moment. “Y-yeah, that’s okay.”

He’s never wanted Alec to change. Magnus just wants him to see there are other things out there for him that he can have. Life isn’t static, it’s not this or that. It’s infinite options -- and Alec can have them all, if he wants.

Alec pulls on his wrinkled pants from the floor - Magnus holds back a grimace - and pads over to the closet, grabs one of the shirts Magnus bought for him and slips it on. “Well?” Alec says, smoothing restless hands down the front. He pats down his hair absently, done getting ready for the day.

They’re going to leave for breakfast later, hold hands across the table, where Alec will sit tall, green gleaming faintly at his eyelids. Just when Magnus seems to think he understands Alec, has turned over every stone and learned the full measure of him, Alec will surprise him, humble him with how much he doesn’t know, even after all his years on the earth.

Magnus has to clear his throat against the sudden thickness he finds there. “Perfect,” he says.

 

 


End file.
